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Laura Blumenfeld

EXCLUSIVE
  • Prize-Winning Middle East Correspondent
  • Former Senior Policy Advisor on Secretary of State John Kerry’s Israeli-Palestinian Negotiating Team
  • New York Times Bestselling Author, 'Revenge: A Story of Hope'
  • Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies

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Bestselling author, prize-winning journalist, and researcher Laura Blumenfeld has dedicated her life to analyzing conflict in the Middle East.

Blumenfeld previously served in the U.S. State Department as senior policy advisor for the Middle East Peace Process. She spent two decades as a reporter for the Washington Post covering the Middle East, national security, and presidential politics. She has also been a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund and a public policy fellow at the Wilson Center, where she worked on the project of “U.S. Responsibility to Lead.” Blumenfeld’s memoir, Revenge: a Story of Hope, recounts her global travels in search of the terrorist who shot her father in cold blood. She is currently a Middle East analyst at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Blumenfeld has written on peace in the Middle East for The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Her perspectives on politics and conflict in the region have been sought by AIPAC and AJC, alongside JCCs and Jewish Federations across the country.  

 


Laura Blumenfeld headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Civitas Associates
  • Temple Beth El
  • UJA Federation of New York
  • Dominican Center at Marywood
  • Jewish Community Center of Dutchess County
  • JCC of Greater Washington
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas
  • AJC
  • Temple Beth Shalom
  • American Society for Technion, Chicago, IL
Rave Reviews About Laura Blumenfeld
“
Your candid presentation made real for us the possibility of transformation and forgiveness as an alternative to destructive revenge. Your journey is truly a story of hope for all of us. Those who attended found the evening an enjoyable and reflective event. Thank you again for bringing this much needed message to our community, and beyond.

”
More rave reviews

"Laura did a wonderful job...She was a terrific speaker with a wonderful story...Technion highly recommends her to everyone...She was extremely friendly during the reception, and during the dinner she was very social, charming, and very well spoken...Everyone was extremely happy...Great speaker... "

-American Society for Technion, Chicago, IL

"Last night was wonderful!!! We estimate there were about 1,000 people! Your message was perfect and was well received by everyone. We are getting calls this morning from many people who are running out to purchase your book. "

-Alan Lucas, Temple Beth Shalom

"Laura Blumenfeld's presentation was outstanding and she was charming and engaging. She was very gracious during our pre-event reception and spoke with many of our major donors and their family members. Laura's story was captivating and all of our guests were held in complete silence as she detailed the events in her life that led up to the writing of her book. Her courage, determination and passion were inspirational to all. The success of our fundraising efforts for the evening was excellent. A great boost to our annual campaign."

-Nancy Immerman, Assistant Campaign Director, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

"The lecture was a big success. It was a great way to end the Monday series 'Dynamic Duos (Laura and Rabbi David Blumenfeld).' The majority of the audience responding in the evaluations was truly touched by Laura and her story. They appreciated her bravery and insights into the concept of revenge tremendously. She was articulate and moving in her presentation. They were both unfailingly warm and attentive to the close to 100 people who purchased books. Poor Laura went through several liters of water as she sat and spoke with the individuals coming up to have their books signed. I would have to say it was a great morning, and we are delighted we could have them join us. Kandy Hutman, JCC of Greater Washington"

-Kandy Hutman, JCC of Greater Washington

"Her warmth helped make each of the benefactors feel special and grateful that they had helped make her visit to our JCC possible. Her lecture at the JCC was both intriguing and profoundly moving. She is truly an excellent speaker. "

-Melissa Erlebacher, CSW, Program Director, Jewish Community Center of Dutchess County

"You served as a huge draw for our first couples event of the year! The feedback from your presentation has been extremely positive. All those present were fascinated by your incredible true story of hope and transformation. Learning about your experiences as a Jewish woman interacting with numerous anti-Semites, especially the family of your father's shooter, was extremely powerful. It was a pleasure meeting you and I hope to have the opportunity to work with you again in the future."

-Amanda Messinger, Development Executive of the New York Metropolitan Campaign, UJA Federation of New York

"Thank you for your cooperation in bringing Laura Blumenfeld to our Temple. Her expertise and insight regarding 'Jews, Power and the Presidency 2004' was quite remarkable and everyone enjoyed her presentation."

-Lennard J. Kligler, President, Temple Beth El, West Palm Beach, FL

"We want to thank you so much for your outstanding presentation in St. Louis at the Civitas 'Revenge & Reconciliation' conference for high school students. Your speech was riveting and the students were truly engrossed, particularly since most of them had read the book (a somewhat novel occurrence these days). The student reviews on the conference and in particular your presentation were most positive. "

-Arthur H. Lieber, Civitas Associates

"I wanted to express our deepest gratitude for your presence with us and for your powerful words and witness. The church has been buzzing with excitement and joy at having you with us. You truly provided much food for thought and I thank you. Many seeds were planted that night between the congregations. Thanks for being part of that process, for sharing your tale of courage and hope. "

-Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana
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Middle East Analyst Laura Blumenfeld | BBC News - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Laura Blumenfeld
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Journalism in Action

Bestselling author, prize-winning journalist, and researcher LAURA BLUMENFELD is a seasoned investigative journalist whose unquenchable curiosity has led her on a relentless quest for truth. With over two decades of experience, she has carved a distinctive niche in the world of journalism, earning a ...

Bestselling author, prize-winning journalist, and researcher LAURA BLUMENFELD is a seasoned investigative journalist whose unquenchable curiosity has led her on a relentless quest for truth. With over two decades of experience, she has carved a distinctive niche in the world of journalism, earning a reputation for her tenacity and keen insight. This fascinating talk explores Blumenfeld’s experiences to exemplify the power of journalism to ignite change and promote understanding.

Revenge: A Story of Hope

Join prize-winning Middle East correspondent and author LAURA BLUMENFELD in reflecting on the personal growth needed to forgive. Hear her tales of wandering the world in search of resolution in this powerful talk on forgiveness, catharsis, and community. In this talk, Laura Blumenfeld gives audience ...

Join prize-winning Middle East correspondent and author LAURA BLUMENFELD in reflecting on the personal growth needed to forgive. Hear her tales of wandering the world in search of resolution in this powerful talk on forgiveness, catharsis, and community. In this talk, Laura Blumenfeld gives audiences a personal, and intellectual tour of the human aftermath behind public events, and about the thin line between love and hate. 

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Speaker News

Major news outlets turn to correspondent Laura Blumenfeld for political analysis on conflict in the Middle East

Prize-winning political correspondent, bestselling author, and analyst LAURA BLUMENFELD is a respected voice on topics concerning peace in the Middle East. Eminent outlets such as NPR’s Here & Now Anytime and the BBC News Channel have called Blumenfeld on-air for her robust analysis of ongoing global conflict. Blumenfeld shows endless dedication to uncovering the profound stories that shape our world. Her diplomatic acumen, holistic understanding of the conflict, experience working in-region, and decades of experience as a reporter conjointly provide a clear interpretation of the evolving information landscape in the Middle East.

Watch Laura Blumenfeld in conversation on BBC News Daily Global here >>

Watch Laura Blumenfeld deliver remarks at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies here >>

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Books by Laura Blumenfeld
Revenge: A Story of Hope

Revenge: A Story of Hope

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Press & Media
International expert to speak at Temple Emanu-El this week - Palm Beach News
Laura Blumenfeld and Samuel G. Freedman in Conversation: Diaspora Jews and Israel in the Trump/Netanyahu Era - American University
What to know right now about the deadliest Israel-Palestine conflict since 1970s - NPR [audio]
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Biography

Laura Blumenfeld, The New York Times best selling author and  prize-winning Middle East correspondent, was a Senior Policy Adviser on Secretary Kerry's Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations team from October 2013-February 2015. She is currently a Scholar in Residence at Georgetown University, and a Public Policy Fellow at The Wilson Center. 

Blumenfeld covered national security, presidential politics, Israel and the Middle East for The Washington Post as a distinguished senior staff writer for twenty years. She is the author of The New York Times best seller, Revenge: A Story of Hope. Revenge has been translated into nine languages, and has been excerpted in a range of publications, from People to The New Yorker. As The New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas L. Friedman wrote, "Laura Blumenfeld has the eye of a reporter, the soul of a novelist, and the passion of an activist. She brings all three to bear superbly." She also authored a chapter in the book What Israel Means To Me, edited by Alan Dershowitz.  

Blumenfeld has lectured on counter-terrorism, military ethics, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is a frequent speaker at universities including Princeton, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and the U.S. Naval Academy. She served as a Senior Transatlantic Fellow at The German Marshall Fund, where she specialized in security policy.

Blumenfeld's work has been developed for screen adaptation by George Clooney, Madonna, Ellen Pompeo, HBO, Universal Pictures, ABC and CBS Television. Showtime aired an hour-long documentary on This American Life, based on her feature story. At The Washington Post, she wrote a regular column about senior government officials for the Federal Page, called "Off Camera." She has also written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Conde Nast Traveler UK, and the Financial Times. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Lehrer News Hour, The Today Show, CNN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Oprah and CCTV. She has been interviewed extensively on NPR, the BBC and other radio shows.

Blumenfeld holds a master’s degree in international affairs specializing in the Middle East from Columbia University, which she attended on full-scholarship as a Mort Zuckerman Future World Leaders Fellow. She graduated with honors with a degree in English literature from Harvard College and studied Middle East languages and civilizations for a year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  

Blumenfeld lives in Washington D.C.

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